Guards for sliding doors



May 28, 1957 F. D. FocHT 2,793,406

GuARns FOR SLIDING DooRs Filed Feb. 25, 1955 4Ia` ffl l INVENTOR. `3b IF959.' D, FocH-r United States Patent 'C ice GUARDS FOR SLIDING DOORSFred D. Focht, Johnson City, N. Y.

Application February 23, 1955, Serial No. 489,885

3 Claims. (Cl. 20--69) This invention relates to guards for slidingdoors and is directed particularly to resilient channel guards for theupright edges of glass sliding doors.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel elongated resilientchannel guard ladapted to be mounted on the vertical edges of glasssliding doors.

It is another object of this invention to provide a channel guard of thecharacter described preformed to provide inwardly-directed sidesresiliently deformable to be pitted along the edges of a glass panel insecure, closefitting, embracing relationship.

It is still another object to provide a channel guard of the abovenature suitable for use in protecting all vertical edges of panel doors.

A still further object is to provide a resilient guard for the edges ofsliding panel doors that can readily be installed and which maintainsitself in place without the use of glue or other adhesive.

A further object is to provide a channel guard of ther characterdescribed which is durable, inexpensive, easily mounted on existingsliding doors and highly effective in use.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention are inherent inthe structure as claimed and disclosed or will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art as the detailed description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a sliding door arrangement withwhich the sealing strip of the present invention may be employed;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken along the line 2-2 of Fig.1, and shows the guard channel strip mounted on the vertical edges ofthe sliding doors;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and showsa preferred arrangement for -slidably mounting the doors;

Fig. 4 is an oblique view of the channel guard embodying the invention;and

Fig. 5 is a modification of the channel guard shown in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and in particular toFig. 4 thereof, the channel guard in accordance with the presentinvention is indicated generally by the reference numeral and is in theform of a longitudinal integral strip composed of resilient flexiblematerial such as grey rubber. The channel guard 10 is generally ofU-shape in cross-section, and is moulded so that the side portions 12,14 are normally inclined toward each other by virtue of the back portion16 being curved. When the side portions 12 and 14 are spread forinstallation along the vertical edges of the sliding door panels, thechannel guard assumes a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape,as illustrated in Fig. 2, and said side portions resiliently embrace theside portions along the edges of which they are afiixed so as to besecurely held thereon without additional hplding means. The inner sidesof the channel guard 10 are preferably ribbed, as indicated by numeral18.

V2,793,4(llli The modification of the invention illustrated in -Fig`.'

5, is in all respects similarto that shown in Fig. y4 dedin'al "angularblade portion 20 extending from 4one of the side portions. The purposeof said'bla'de portion will be described hereinbelow.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the reference numeral 22 indicatesgenerally a sliding door arrangement comprising a frame 24 having a pairof vertical frame members 26, 28, connected at their lower ends to ahorizontal frame member 30 extending therebetween. The upper ends ofvertical frame members 26, 28, are joined to an upper horizontal framemember 32 in any conventional manner. The lower frame member 30 isprovided with a pair of longitudinally-extending spaced parallel grooves34, 36 extending downwardly from the upper surface 38 thereof. In eachof the grooves 34, 36, there preferably is fitted a roller bearing track40 comprising spaced roller bearings 42 adapted to support the lowerhorizontal edges of the sliding door panels 44, 46. The door panels 44,46, though preferably of glass, could also be of other suitableconstruction. For slidably supporting the upper horizontal edges of thedoor panels 44, 46, the upper horizontal frame member 32 islongitudinally recessed to receive a prefabricated upper channel guide48 having spaced slots 50, 52 adapted to hold said panels in properspaced relationship for sliding with respect to each other.

As best seen in Fig. 2, the channel guard 10 comprising the inventionmay be fitted'to both the inner and outer vertical edges of 'the slidingdoor panels 44, 46. Fitted along the outer edges, they protect the doorsfrom damage when pushed against the vertical frame members 26, 28. Ifdesired for appearances, the vertical frame members 26, 28 could bevertically grooved to receive the channel guard members 10 when thedoors are in the closed position.

The channel guard 10 when fitted along the inner edges, protects theedges against possible damage when accidentally struck by solid objectsbeing placed within a case enclosed by the sliding doors for example. Ascan be seen in Fig. 2, the modification illustrated in Fig. 5 anddesignated by the number 48 has the tip of its longitudinal bladeportion bearing against the inner surface of the opposing sliding panel44 and thereby serves as a seal against dust, dirt, moisture, etc.,passing through the panels when closed.

It is to be understood that the specific embodiments of the inventionshown in the drawing and described above are merely illustrative of twoof the many forms which the invention may take in practice withoutdeparting from the scope thereof as delineated in the appended claimsand hence the claims are to be \interpreted as broadly as possible inview of the prior art and are not to be unduly limited by saiddisclosures.

Having thus described the invention in some detail, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A guard device for the vertical edge of a sliding door panelcomprising a one piece longitudinal member of resilient flexiblematerial, said member comprising in transverse section, when not mountedon the panel, a curved back portion from which there extends sideflanges disposed radially inwardly of the web portion, said flangeportion being adapted to be spread apart to receive an edge portion ofthe panel therebetween, one of said flange portions being formed with anintegral blade portion for wiping engagement with another door panelparallel to the first mentioned door panel, said blade portion extendingoutwardly from said ange por.- tion approximately perpendicular theretoand disposed vPatented May f28, 1957" in` spaeed relation to the frontedge of said ange por- References Cited in the le of this patent tionand to said web portion and parallel thereto. UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.The combination of claim l, said flange portions and `web pontion being,formed at Atheir innersides with Ihgtrarlg "Jl inwardly extending,longitudinal, parallel spaced ribs;l 5 2667951 Gall Feb 2 1954 outejendof the blade. A 133,736 Germany Sept. 2, 1929

